CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — Every spring, the Dixie Power Kite Festival brings the community together to play in the sunshine and get kids excited about reading books. It’s the largest kite festival in the state and Southern Utah’s premier fundraising event in support of childhood literacy.
This year’s kite festival returns to the Encampment Mall at Utah Tech University on Saturday, April 6, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. As always, it’s open to the public and free to attend. Organized by Dixie Power with the support of more than 40 community partners, including presenting sponsor Nets on Fire, all proceeds will be donated to the Washington County School District Foundation.
“This will be our largest year ever,” festival director Rick Schofield said. “We’re excited for everyone to come out and help us celebrate our 25th anniversary.”
Kite enthusiasts of all ages are invited to attend and fly their own kites in a designated area. The kite festival also features vendor booths, food trucks, live entertainment, games and activities, including bounce houses, a zip line and a rock climbing wall. Additionally, the Washington County School District Foundation will be selling a variety of children’s books for just $1-$2 each.
In early January, all of Washington County’s more than 15,000 elementary school students receive a reading chart and are encouraged to read books at home. Students record their daily reading on the chart over the next 13 weeks and have their parent or guardian sign it. Then, they can bring their completed chart to the kite festival to be rewarded for their efforts with a kite, a book or $10 worth of tickets to on-site activities.
“It’s a fun community event. We get amazing participation from the community, and we’re grateful for that,” Schofield said. “But there’s also a purpose.”
Nearly 3,000 reading charts were redeemed by local students in grades K-5 during last year’s event. With an average of 1,000 minutes of reading required for each chart, the festival promoted about 3 million total minutes of learning and discovery.
Between 20,000 and 25,000 people attend the kite festival every year, making it one of the largest single-day events in Southern Utah. In 2023, the festival’s organizers raised $70,000 for the Washington County School District Foundation.
“Literacy is a huge issue not only across our country but all over the world, and this is just a small way that we can give back in our own community,” Schofield said.
It takes a village to help kids make reading a habit, and the kite festival relies on generous sponsorships from dozens of Southern Utah businesses. As the primary sponsor, Dixie Power is heavily involved in the planning and execution of the event. The company provides thousands of dollars in funding and hundreds of hours of manpower every year.
Dixie Power first partnered with the Washington County School District Foundation in 2000 to promote reading and give back to the community through a fun, free event. Over the past 25 years, the kite festival has touched generations of families and thousands of children by raising $825,000 in support of local literacy programs.
“Dixie Power is committed to giving back to the communities we serve,” communications specialist Steven Young said. “The Dixie Power Kite Festival is evidence of this, as we’ve supported literacy in Washington County for the past 25 years! We are so pleased that the kite festival has become one of Southern Utah’s premier events, bringing together families, businesses and organizations that want to support and give back to our community.”
Written by ALEXA MORGAN for St. George News.
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Event details
- What: Dixie Power Kite Festival.
- When: Saturday, April 6, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Where: Utah Tech University Encampment Mall, 225 E. 700 South, St. George.
- Admission: Free.
- Resources: Website.
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